Friday Fun - Things You Never Want to Hear Lindsay Lohan Say About Your Book

1. "Dude Paris said one of her cell mates gave her a copy in jail and it changed her life. I think it might have been Phil Spector. I think it worked for him too....his hair is soooo much better."

2. "Damn this book is a like a real book with words and stuff. The way Britney talked about it I thought it was a pop up book."

3. Well I was going to buy The Secret because I hear it's hot but Amazon had this Ripple Effect book on clearance and you know I gotta watch the dollars since the vodka endorsement deal kinda fell through."

4. "The Ripple Effect is so thin it sort of reminds me of myself. Plus...and this is huge! It fits perfectly between my ankle and my rehab monitoring device."

5. "Crap its either read this to get my life on track or go on Dr. Phil."


6. "You know I heard Ripple Effect and I thought it was a new kind of bartenders guide or something. I have read nearly the whole damn thing and I have yet to find one recipe. Definitely not giving it four stars."

7. "I think I might get my agent to op this for my next film project. I wonder if we could fit an elephant into the script. I love elephants....especially pink ones."

8. "Dude have you seen the author? The guy is like old! I mean he is like 36 or something!"

Take Your Shot

Michael Jordan is considered amongst most basketball fans to be one of the greatest players to have ever played the game. His last game as a Chicago Bull was against the Utah Jazz in game 6 of the NBA finals. That game alone stood as a shining example of what magic "Air Jordan" brought to the game as he drained a game clinching jumper with 5.2 seconds left. The Bulls would celebrate their sixth NBA title because of that one shot and as a fan I still remember watching it and the goose bumps that crept up on my neck when that ball went in the hoop.

Jordan was an amazing player and somehow always put himself in the position to win. He was the go to guy and never feared taking the shot. He played with competitiveness and drive that undoubtedly fueled that basketball team and the entire city of Chicago and to this day stands as an example to me.

But what if Michael had never taken his shot? What if he would have allowed his high school basketball coach who cut him to be the sole judge of his abilities? Air Jordan may never have come to fruition and he might have just been some guy named Mike.

I still wonder what happened to that coach who once told him be wouldn't amount to anything in basketball. I wonder if he watched that ball go in that basket as I did and found some element of regret. No teacher, no coach, no parent should ever be allowed to tell anyone that looks up to them what they can't do. Just an opinion.

Michael "Air" Jordan refused to let someone else tell him what he could do. He worked every day to make his dream a reality and never ever gave up. He took his shot and because he did, the rest is, as they say, history.

What shot are you failing to take? What Air Jordan like qualities might be hidden below your surface that with the right attitude, the right focus and the same drive and undying commitment could put you in a position to make your shot a reality?

Don't give up. Don't ever give up.

If you are interested in watching the video of Michael refusing to give up click here.

Ripple On and Take Your Shot!

Steve

Coffee Zombies Unite...I mean Connect

Do you want to become better at meeting new people? Try this exercise on for size.

Go to your local Starbucks every day at the same time for two weeks. Open your eyes and look at who is standing in line with you. Take mental notes of faces, hair styles, clothes, etc.

If you are going about the same time every day you are likely to see the same faces over and over again. Think about it....most people have their morning rituals and Starbucks is basically our legalized crack dealer pumping us full of caffeine so we can go out and take on our day. Starbucks drinkers are loyal and most will show up every day at the same time to get their java jolt before heading into the salt mines.

Now as you see these same faces over and over again try taking baby steps towards connecting with them.

Week One:

Day 1 Start by trying to catch someone's eye and smile.
Day 2-3 Rinse and repeat for the next two days.
Day 4 On day four try saying "Good Morning." No need to get into heavy involved conversation.
Day 5 On day five try and catch them either at the counter where you stir in your cream and sugar or manage to walk out the door at the same time bidding them "Have a good weekend" as you head to your car.

Week Two:

Day 1 Smile as you see them in line and ask them "How was your weekend?"
Day 2 Try saying "Fancy meeting you here!" with a big smile and a little laugh.
Day 3 Try engaging in conversation about what their favorite drink is at Starbucks and use that as a way to introduce yourself. "Oh I am Dan by the way."
Day 4 Smile as you approach the line. Don't say anything. See if they talk to you.
Day 5 Try catching them as they walk out the door and chatting them up by asking "got big plans for the weekend?"

Couple of key things to remember....

Don't be creepy. Use open body language, good smile, don't look dress like a stalker or anything crazy. Be in a good mood when you walk in. This might require you hit a Starbucks prior to going to your main Starbucks to insure you are properly caffeinated. I believe there is one on every freakin corner so it shouldn't be a problem!

Remember to have fun with this! Rinse and repeat until you and the rest of the coffee zombies know one another and it will make your morning ritual a little more fun and a lot more Ripply!

Ripple On!!!

Steve

Ripple Connection Question of the Week

Ripple Connection Questions are a unique way to engage people in conversation. Whether with a complete stranger or someone you already know, but want to know better, using Ripple Connection Questions (RCQ) accelerate the dialogue and deepen the connection. They are fun to ask and very revealing in the answers you will get and perhaps the answers you share.

Come on, break out of that shell yours and start Rippling. Trust me you will be glad you did!

This week's RCQ is all about what you can personally do this week to make your own personal impact out there in the world.

So what do you see when

you look in the mirror?

I just discovered this amazing way to reconnect with myself. I spend a lot of time looking in the mirror at myself (no not because I have great hair or such an engaging smile...joke!). I stare into my eyes and allow whatever thoughts want to come to me come to me. At that moment, I am real. I am myself. There are no heady words or dynamic descriptions that are needed. No need to impress anyone...because it is just me. Me being me. Alone.

What I see when I look in the mirror is that scared little kid anxious for life to begin but fearful (at times) of what life really has in store for me. Then in an instant, those images are replaced with the 36 year old man who holds the keys to a world of incredible opportunities. It's hard not to smile. It's hard not to like the guy in the mirror. It's amazing how rewarding these little moments are.

So what do you see when you look in your mirror?